It is estimated that every year more than 100 million Americans go boating, and the numbers keep going up. 

If you’re new to boating and are eager to get out on the water, there are a few things you should keep in mind. Boating tips can make your day a lot easier and prevent stressful or unnecessary situations. Staying safe and having fun is what makes boating an activity you can do over and over again. 

Here are 5 tips for any eager beginner to get out on the water and have the time of their life:

1. The Drain Plug 

It is well known amongst experienced boaters that the number one nemesis for beginners is the drain plug. The drain plug is what allows the bilge to be emptied, but if it isn’t put back in, your boat can sink. A lot of new boaters have had their fun day end tragically with the loss or near loss of a boat.

2. Safety First

Boating is a lot of fun, but it can also be dangerous. Make sure that you are always in compliance with local ordinances and at least have a floatation device or life jacket for everyone. Also, it is fun to sit up front, but when the waves are choppy, move back and leave the bow.

3. Preparation Is Key

Make a checklist of everything that you need to have a great day on the water. Then build a kit so that you have it all together and on hand. Replace items as you use them so that you don’t find yourself without sunscreen, towels, or vital first aid supplies when you get out on the water. 

Preparation also comes into play when it comes to launching and recovering a boat. Make sure that when you are traveling, the engine is up and out of the way and that the boat is tied down to the trailer. Before you get on the launch ramp, make sure to remove all the tie-downs and be ready.

4. Watch the Weather

Nothing can ruin a day out on the water as fast as a thunderstorm. Lightning, wind, and rain can cause severe issues for even seasoned boaters. Make sure you are aware of what the weather is supposed to do and don’t forget to keep checking as things can change without warning. 

One of the more important boating tips to remember is to always have a radio or method of receiving emergency warnings.

5. Don’t Go Alone

It can be tempting to get your boat out and get on the water with no one else bothering you. The reality is that boating alone is dangerous, and you shouldn’t do it. Even experienced boaters can run into a difficulty that requires more than one pair of hands to deal with. 

This is true whether or not you own a boat or are renting a boat. Get more information on renting. You may find it advantageous to rent a boat several times before you buy a boat. 

Boating Tips

Be safe and prepared, and get ready to have endless fun out on the water. Whether you buy or rent a boat, the freedom of boating is something everyone should experience. Let the wind and spray fill your day with relaxation and adventure. 

If this article on boating tips was helpful, please take a moment and check out our website for more great articles.

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Pre-wedding depression isn’t something that’s talked about as much as it should be. It is easy to get sucked into the misconception that weddings are all about joy. The truth is weddings are also about stress, money, doubt, and anxiety. 

While wedding anxiety can be overwhelming for a perfectly healthy person with sound mental health, they add double the weight to someone living with depression. So if you fall under this category, then here are some things you can do while planning a wedding with depression.  

Talk to Friends and Family Members

You may find it difficult to open up to others about how overwhelmed you feel, but this simple step could make a world of difference. Talk to your partner, a trusted friend, or family member without any inhibitions. This will help you feel less lonely throughout the whole process. If you are undergoing therapy, it’s a good idea to keep your licensed therapist updated on how you feel. 

Hire a Wedding Planner

While wedding planners are expensive, they do take a lot of stress off your shoulder. This way, you will have help with all aspects of the wedding planning, ranging from cake to venues to the guest list and everything else. They will also help you with the wedding budget. Your mental health is the most crucial factor to consider, and hiring a planner will surely leave you feeling more relaxed.

Delegate Jobs to Friends and Family

If you can’t afford to hire a professional wedding planner, you could still delegate some of the work to friends and family. They might be thrilled to help. If a friend of yours is a finance expert, seek their help for the budget planning. If a family member loves decor, let them be in charge of the decorations. 

Start Planning Early

Setting up a game plan well ahead of time will certainly help you feel more under control. This way, you can move at your own pace and not feel pressured into making quick wedding-related decisions. Starting early will give you the time and space you need to plan the perfect wedding without it taking a huge toll on your mental health.

Focus on Parts You Enjoy

When planning the wedding, take the liberty of focusing on parts that you find fun. If you like music, enjoy the process of picking a band. If you love pastry, focus on having a great time sampling cakes. This will help you enjoy your wedding planning a lot more. 

Take Extra Good Care of Yourself

Understand that this is an extra strenuous time in your life and look after yourself even better. Pay special attention to your emotional needs and focus on your fitness. Getting fresh air might help. Create a routine that is consistent and repetitive. This will give you a sense of direction and attainment. 

Take Regular Breaks

Give yourself off days and breaks. It would help if you did not overload yourself with more stress than you can handle. Taking a day or two off from planning will help you bounce back, feeling more relaxed. Rest is something your mind needs. It won’t matter how perfect the wedding is if you are not in your best shape, emotionally.

Understand That Your Well-Being Is More Important Than Anything Else

Try not to be too hard on yourself if you make a mistake. Be realistic and understand that planning your wedding with depression is no easy job. Try meditation and other stress relief techniques for release. 

Speak to loved ones about how you feel and allow them to help you make the best of your life as perfect as it can be. It is also important to remember you are not alone and seek professional help if you doubt things are getting out of hand. 

Bio: Ellen Hollington is a freelance writer who offers ghostwriting, copywriting, and blogging services. She works closely with B2C and B2B businesses providing digital marketing content that gains social media attention and increases their search engine visibility.

The post Steps to Take If You Want to Avoid Planning Your Wedding With Depression appeared first on BBN Community.

However, sometimes the crowd goes out of control, as it can happen in case of earthquake, fire, waiting in long lines, and so on. That is a consequence of the lack of crowd control management. This means you have missed some important points in your plan. In order to help you out with that, we show you the biggest crowd control management mistakes you shouldn’t allow to happen.

Wandering Guests

Imagine the chaos caused by attendees not knowing in which direction they should move and where to go to find a certain area. It’s a real disaster. Not only it looks bad for the event organizer but it can also lead to many unwanted situations, such as angry guests, people pushing each other when moving around, or even a human stampede.

This situation is a result of a lack of signage, which is one of the crucial elements in crowd control management. Hence, not having enough signs, including area dividers, such as rope dividers, will lead to guests walking around and asking for directions or even some really serious situations, such as those mentioned in the previous paragraph. And that is definitely something you don’t want to happen.

Long Queues

Queues are a normal part of every event. However, if they are too long, there’s something wrong with the crowd control organization. It could mean that there isn’t enough staff that would speed up the processing or serve the attendees. It could also mean that the staff isn’t competent enough or doesn’t know their responsibilities.

Regardless of the reason, long queues are something you should ensure doesn’t happen. It’s because waiting in line is one of the biggest reasons why people become nervous, frustrated, and fight. Therefore, always make sure you have enough people in the team who know what they are doing and how they are doing it. Also, ensure there are enough access points to shorten the waiting time.

Not Conducting A Risk Assessment

Risk assessment is another very important element of crowd control management. It’s because by conducting it, you will be able to predict all possible security issues that might occur during the event. Therefore, you always have to think about all the things that could go wrong and the reasons for that.

Namely, the crowd is one of the factors which can cause a security issue. If, let’s say, you are organising a conference, the audience will be made of business people who aren’t likely to cause any unwanted situation. On the other hand, if you organize a sports event, there will be a lot of fans in the crowd who will probably be aggressive and do things like, running to the stadium or getting into a fight with the fans of the other team.

Apart from analyzing the audience, you can do research on the common security threats that have happened during events such as the one you organize. If you don’t conduct a risk assessment, you won’t know the potential risks that the event is exposed to and won’t be able to prevent them.

Not Monitoring The Event

Although you have a well-prepared plan for crowd control, sometimes unexpected things happen. You simply cannot foresee the future. That’s why you always have to constantly monitor the entire venue, not just the event. Namely, you should monitor the queue to prevent forming of long lines. If that’s the case, you will be able to act on time by sending more people to speed up the processing, thus shortening the lines and the waiting time. 

Lack Of Communication With Your Team

Communication is one of the most important factors for successful crowd control. Therefore, you have to involve your team (staff) in the planning and ensure there’s constant communication between the staff during the event. That’s the only way to ensure things are going according to your plan.

The last thing you have to do is to check your plan. Although we are sure we have covered everything, there can always be some detail we have missed. And, that can greatly affect the overall crowd control management.

In order to prevent that you should check your plan once you have done everything. In this way, you will ensure everything is as it should be. So, check with your team if they understand their responsibilities and communicate with each other. Also, check if there are enough signs inside and outside the venue and if you have enough staff.

The post Biggest Crowd Control Management Mistakes You Shouldn’t Allow to Happen appeared first on BBN Community.